Logo Game Review

We often play board games in our house, especially when having friends over.  I was thrilled to find out that I would get a look at SpinMaster's new trivia Logo Board Game.  This game is great and so much fun to play!  The Logo game is based on logos that we see everyday.  This game tests your knowledge of pop culture and consumer knowledge of popular brands, logos, products, etc. that you have come to know and love.

So, how do you play Logo?  Playing Logo is easy. First off, there are three types of Question Cards: Pot Luck Cards that are general knowledge brand and logo questions, Theme Cards which have answers that all share a common theme, and Picture Cards that have a question related to a photo on the card. 

There is a Question Master who picks a card and asks the first question (purple in color) on the card to the player on his left.  If the player answers correctly, that player moves his game piece to the first purple space on the spiral game board.  Play continues with the same player answering the next question on the card.  Each time the player answers a question correctly, they move their game piece forward to the next space that matches the question's color.  If they answer all the questions on the card, the round is over.  If the player answers incorrectly, the Question Master then asks the SAME question to the next player to the left. If this person answers correctly, they move their game piece forward.  The Question Master continues to ask this player questions until all the questions on the card are answered and end the round, or gets a wrong answer.  Play continues with the next player on the left and so on. 

To end the game a player must correctly answer a question near the Winning Zone, and there must be no spaces left on the path to match the question's color, then the player moves their game piece into the Winning Zone where it stays for the rest of the game.  If the player enters the Winning Zone answering a Red question, then the round is over.  On next turn, the player in the Winning Zone must correctly answer answer either two consecutive questions or a red question to win.You can also play this game in teams, but there is a slight variation on how to play.

What I love is that this game is really a lot of fun.  Plain and simple, the game has rules that are easy to learn and follow.   I also love that there is no math or history questions, just fun trivia questions that everyone can answer.  Some of the questions are very simple (they all are if you know that answer), but there are also more challenging questions.  Even my husband, who prides himself a trivia buff, was stumped on some of them.  There is definitely a wide range of categories and questions, plenty enough to find something for everyone in the family.

Logo is not only a game that questions you knowledge of current brands, but also throws a curve ball with products and advertising that you do not see anymore.  I realized that during this games, if you are playing with younger children, there is a great opportunity to talk to kids about how things used to be, what brands were popular "back then", and explain how people had different values in a different time.  This game is not only fun, but has great potential to be educational as well. 

If you are playing in a group you will find that the play of the game is designed to include each player.  Every player has an opportunity to answer, even if it is not their turn.  If a question is not answered correctly, the next player gets a turn until no one can answer the question.

Overall, the Logo board game is very well made.  Included in the Logo game is the Logo game board, 400 Question Cards, 6 game pieces, and instructions.  It is recommended for ages 12 and up and can be played with 2-6 players.  It retails for about $24.99.




SpinMaster provided me with the item above in order to facilitate this review.  All opinions are 100% mine.

Bizu Review

Little girls everywhere are going to be asking for Bizu this holiday season!  Bizu, a "twist on beads", is fashion jewelry for girls that they make to wear.  Then, Bizu jewelry can be twisted into adorable characters, kind of like you would make a balloon animal. 

I love that there are two aspects to this toy, one is the art of beading and the other is the finished product that you can wear, play with, or collect.  Transforming Bizu is very easy and I think girls as young as 5 could have fun playing with Bizu.  Bizu would also great if you have a birthday party coming up that is "jewelry making" themed.  The bracelets are stretchy, so they would fit just about any wrist.

Included in a typical 4 pack kit is 4 x beads, 5 x body beads, 16 x legs/arms beads (8 pairs), 4 x tails, 4 x elastics with clasps, 1 x bracelet beading tool, 1 x clip, 4 character template cards, 1 instruction guide.  These sets retail for about $12.99, depending on the retailer.

SpinMaster provided me with the item above in order to facilitate this review.  All opinions are 100% mine.

Gomu Review and Giveaway (CLOSED)

Gomu Eraserland .  What is Gomu, you ask?  Gomu is just one of the hottest collectible eraser craze to come over kids today.  Gomu Eraserland is sets and series of collectible erasers that you collect and, for even more fun, can trade with your friends.

So, how much fun is this?  Lots!  This is how it works.  Each eraser has a different point value.  The more erasers you collect, the more points you get.  Better yet, the higher the point value of the eraser tells you how rare your eraser is.  This makes the erasers more collectible and more sought after.  There are over 10 different themed erasers including, pets, zoo, surf, fashion, music, school, home, gadgets, beauty, and ocean.  Each time you open a pack of Gomu, you have the chance to find one of the Ultra rare Gold or Silver Key erasers.  There are over 100 Gomu erasers to collect in the first series alone.  With more Gomu eraser sets planned to be coming soon, you will want to start collecting now!

Once you begin to collect Gomu erasers, you can visit their website at gomu.com to keep track of your collection.  The Gomu collector tool gives you information on every eraser so you know just what your collection is worth.

As a mom, what do I really love about these cute little erasers?  These erasers are perfect for kids aged 6 and up.  Kids are loving these and I can easily see how these erasers could serve as incentives and rewards for chores done or good grades.  I love the price, too.  Gomu start at just under a dollar or you could buy a 6 pack for about $4.99. 

You can find Gomu at Toys R US, Target, Walmart, and Kmart.  Find out more about Gomu and how much your Gomu Eraserland collection is worth at gomu.com.

Would you like to fill some stockings this holiday with Gomu?  Fill out the entry form below to enter for a chance to win one 6 pack of Gomu.  The Giveaway will run from 12:00pm EST on 11/14/11 until 11/21/11 at 12:00pm EST.

The winner of the Gomu Giveaway is Beth R.  The winner will be notified via email and will have 48 hours to respond.  If no response is received, a new winner will be chosen.

SpinMaster provided me with the item above in order to facilitate this review.  All opinions are 100% mine.

Pumpkin Pie Dough

Here is a fun, seasonal dough to make with the kids.  Be warned, it does not taste as good as it smells!

Duration: 20 minutes
Makes: 2 cups

Materials:

• 5 and a 1/2 cups flour
• 2 cups salt
• 8 teaspoons cream of tarter
• 3/4 cup oil
• 1 ounce pumpkin pie spice
• orange food coloring
• 4 cups water

Directions:

1. Mix all the ingredients together over low heat.
2. Stir constantly until the mixture reaches the consistency of mashed potatoes
3. Remove from heat.  When cool, knead.


Get this and more ideas from the The Everything Toddler Activities Book: Games And Projects That Entertain And Educate.

FyrFlyz Review

Looking for a great stocking stuffer this holiday that is fun for kids and adults alike?  Here is the perfect toy for the 8 and up crowd.  FyrFlyz Light Up Toy is a multi-colored LED light that spins while attached to a string.  With a little practice and creativity, FyrFlyz can help you create lighted patterns and tricks to create your own light show.

"FyrFlyz is an easy to use, precision balance lighted toy designed to spin on its axis. Simply by swinging two strings and applying tension or allowing slack, you can create a continuous movement of multi-color light shapes (figure eights, rings, etc.).  Here's how FyrFlyz work: grab one small plastic handle in each hand and spin the FyrFlyz in large loops so the string gets twisted. Next, using the handles, pull the strings apart to spin the FyrFlyz in the opposite direction. Now, bring the handles closer and pull apart to spin large loops and create different tricks and shapes like Shooting Stars, Saturn Rings, Sun Blasts and Flywheels."

FyrFlyz is another one of those simple and brilliantly made toys that is so much fun to play with.  It is amazing how such a neat toy can bring hours of fun while kids work on expanding their imagination trying to create new light patterns.  I love that this a compact toy that you can carry with you and pull out whenever you want.  It is sure to keep your child busy, as long as there is adequate room to swing the toy around. 

These toys are really fun to use in the dark too.  I can see us playing with these over the summer at barbecues, waiting for fireworks to start, or while roasting marshmallows.   They seem to be made very well and the lights are nice and bright.

FyrFlyz is a must have for the holiday season.  With the small price tag of about $8.99, how can you go wrong?  One FyrFlyz includes batteries, on/off switch, LED lights, and safety grip handles.  Recommended for ages 8 and up.  It retails for about $8.99.

More tips and tricks can be found at http://www.fyrflyz.com/.





I-Star Entertainment provided me with the item above in order to facilitate this review.  All opinions are 100% mine.

Get a Melissa & Doug 25% Off Coupon When You Take the North "Poll"

We LOVE Melissa & Doug in our house.  Every product available is so well made that it is obvious to see that they will stand the test of time and toddlers!  I add to Masons' collection of Melissa and Doug every year.  He has oodles of puzzles and most recently put up his Melissa & Doug Deluxe Magnetic Responsibility Chart.  This year for Christmas, I am looking to add the Melissa & Doug 60-Piece Standard Unit Blocks Set. 

So, here is something cool!  Melissa & Doug want you to tell them which of their educational toys you think is the best! Just click on the image below to place your vote in the North "Poll!" You'll get a Melissa & Doug 25% Off Coupon to use at MelissaAndDoug.com just for voting!

JAKKS Pacific Set to Auction Celebrity Cabbage Patch Kids for Charity

Did you know November is National Adoption Awareness month?  JAKKS Pacific is launching a 10-day online auction on eBay of celebrity look alike Cabbage Patch Kids.

Celebrities including Steven Tyler, Al Roker, Katherine Heigl, Kristin Chenoweth and Raven Symone are recreated as unique, one-of-a kind Cabbage Patch Kids that will be auctioned on eBay with proceeds benefiting Children’s Action Network (CAN), a national adoption awareness organization dedicated to finding homes for children in the U.S. who are in foster care. 

Distinctive features of the Celebrity Kids include Steven Tyler’s rocker inspired outfit and mic stand; Al Roker’s signature glasses and tailored suit; Katherine Heigl’s favorite red carpet couture; Kristin Chenoweth’s royal blue ball gown; and Raven-Symoné’s trendy romper and blinged out platform heels. JAKKS Pacific worked closely with each celebrity to make sure their one-of-a-kind Kid embodied their individual look and personality. Each Celebrity Kid, will also come with its own autographed birth certificate.

All proceeds of the Steven Tyler, Al Roker, and Raven Symone Celebrity Kids will benefit CAN, while Kristin Chenoweth and Katherine Heigl are donating 50% of funds to CAN and the other 50% to Maddie’s Corner and the Jason Debus Heigl Foundation, respectively.  So, head on over to eBay and check it out!